Catalog (61)

Massive and beautiful bronze opium weight of the 100 Tical / 1 Viss, square base, c. 1750-1780.

This Viss weight is very attractive and large with a tall handle and the square base.

Weight: 1515 grams = 1 Viss!

Size: Slightly more than 12 cm. in height and 9 cm. wide.

Condition: Choice Very fine, some wear but fine details and thick green patina.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium...

A fantastic completely matched set of 8 earlier bronze opium weights, all from the same undertype of To's (Straigt up tail and 4-rays), (King Alaungpaya), ca. 1750 AD.

Interesting and scarce set that includes most all the weights that were made - from the massive 20 tical weight all the way down to the tiny and extremely rarely seen 1/4 Tical! This To type has octagonal bases engraved with concenthric lines and fine details to the cast. A star with 4 rays is stamped in front of the ba...

One of the largest genuine old Burmese bronze opium Weights, Burma, ca. 1750-1780 AD.

Size: Nearly 11 cm. high

Weight: ca. 1550 grams, which should date to the later part of 18th. century.

Condition: Superb, excarvated with smooth wear, fine dark and tinned patina with green dusty highlights, a beautiful piece.

Reff: Leif B. Mikkelsen 'Opium Weights', p. 145, Gear Group 1+2 (var)

Provenance: Important massive Danish Private Collection o...

Massive and beautiful bronze opium weight of the 50 Tical / 1/2 Viss, with square base, c. 1750-1780.

This Viss weight is very attractive and large with a tall handle and the square base.

Weight: 807 grams = 1!2 Viss!

Condition: Choice Very fine, some wear but fine details and thick brown-green patina.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector f...

A rarely offered, early bronze opium weight of Burmese origin, 1600 AD!

Highly attractive massive bronze weight of the archaic style with a round base with verticals, beautyfully made, depicting a ‘Toe’ or lionbeast – a mythical animal. Added weightmass between legs and a circular verification mark at the front of base. Very charming early asian antique!

One of the finest in the Abrahamsen collection, in our opinion, since it combines size, early classic style with a...

An very attractive massive To or Beast type of bronze opium weight, Burmese, 1550-1630.

Weight: 304 grams = 20 tical

A scarce early type of weight on a hexagonal decorated base with round circular depression mark at the front.

Condition: Choice for the high age, smooth even wear and lovely olive patina.

Reff. Mikkelsen p. 142, figure

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, han...

A large group of 14 different opium weights from the Late Shan Empire, c. 1820-1860 AD.

Interesting study groupe representing most of the late Burmese Shan styles of birds. The largest bird with a nice verification mark, black patina and weighing 163,5 grams.

Condition: VF-EF for type, many with nice patinas.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from Germa...

Rare and massive Shan Weight of 1/2 Viss (50 Tical), Shan States, ca. 1800-1850 AD.

A finely patinated bronze weight; U-tail, Duck-like with hanging tail feathers, with handle and standing on a finely decorated round and stepped base.

Size: 9,3 ca. high

Weight: ca. 835 grams.

Condition: Superb, excarvated, nice smooth wear and fine green and brown patina.

Reff: Leif B. Mikkelsen 'Opium Weights', p. 145, fig. 87. Gear Group 1+2, (diff. base)...

A finely matched set of 7 bronze Hamsa bird opium weights, all from the same undertype of Shan hamsas, issued from ca. 1770 AD.

The set includes some nice weights from the massive 20 tical weight all the way down to the scarce 1/4 Tical weight.

This Hamsa-type can be dated to c. 1770-1820. They have normal hexagonal bases, engraved with concenthric lines. Six rayed star mark at the base.

Set includes weights of:

317 grams = 20 Tical: Very fine, brown pa...

A stunning massive bronze golden Hamsa opium weight of a fine early style, c. 1760-1780 AD.

Weight: 311 = 20 Tical and corresponds to a weight-standard of 15,55 grams, which place it in the mid 18th. century.

The golden Hamsa with lovely details and standing on an large octagonal base stamped with the 9-rayed star.

Condition: Choice Very Fine! Lovely brown patina, some overall wear as always with earlier Golden Hamsas.

Reff. Gear group 3; Mikkelsen ...

5 matching opium weights in different sizes, from the Late Shan Empire, late 18th.-early 19th. century.

A choice set of the Hamsas with U-tail, no neckridges and only one spike, standing on a hexagonal base. Clear 6-ray verification mark.

Weights represented her: 20 tical (316 grams) 10 tical (162,68 grams), 5 tical (80,07 grams), 2 tical (32,12 grams) and 1 tical (15,97 grams).

Ref.. Gear group 1+2; Mikkelsen p. 145, fig. 87.

Condition: V...

An interesting and very finely made massive opium weight, Late Shan, 19th./20th. cent.

Peculia weight or figure in the general shape of a 'Kissing bird' of the Shan Burma, but with some added features in the form of fine engravings and a handle.

The figure comes from a very good old collection and is in our opinion genuine old and antique. It weighs around 700-750 grams and was likely made in the very end of the period with opium weights as a unofficial decorative piece. ...

A fine and scarce very early or transitional style Golden Hamsa Opium Weight, Burma, c. 1730 AD.

A massive weight, very attractive in hand, the bird with two backcovers, mouth appendage and standing on a rounded octagonal base.

Weight: c. 303 grams = 20 Tical.

Condition: Very fine, smooth brown patina, attractive!

Reff. L.B. Mikkelsen p. 116, figure 51; Gear group 3.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection...

A fine group 4 different 10 Tical opium weights from the Late Shan Empire, c. 1820-1860 AD.

Interesting study groupe representing 4 different late Burmese Shan styles of Hamsa birds. all with fine patinas and weighing 162,12 / 163,5 / 159,8 / 159,7 grams.

Condition: VF-EF for type, all 4 with nice patinas.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from German, ...

A nice scarce Golden Hamsa bronze opium weight of Burma, early weight with octagonal base, c. 1730-1760.

Weight: 155 grams = 10 Tical.

The bird with with beak appendages, octagonal base.

Condition: Very fine, much smooth wear, nice brown patina.

Reff. Gear group 3; Mikkelsen p. 116 fig. 51-52.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector f...

An intriguing and extremely rare Late Shan bronze opium weight of a U tail Hamsa bird c. 1800, but without any kind of ridges or spikes to ether neck or head!

The weight can be classified along with the later Shan bronze weights with hexagonal bases (See Gear group 1+2), but not published in this beautiful bird form. Nice official style, so this is perhaps a Prototype.

Weight: 31,58 grams = 2 tical.

Condition: Extremely fine, choice silverish surfaces.

...

A lovely early variant of the bronze opium weight of the 20 Tical, Elongated octagonal base, c. 1720-1750.

This 20 tical weight is a transitional or Hybrid piece sporting a beautiful elongated octagonal base, very detailed and with an aucillery mark with 4 rays, which belongs to the types of the late 17th.-early 18th. century.

The lion is shaped much like the later types (with other bases and typically the 9-rayed star verification mark).

We think that the dating...

A set of the tiniest bronze 'opium' currency weights, we've ever handled!. All Burmese Chinte / Toe weights with square bases, 18th. century AD.

Nominals included:

1 gram = 1/16 Tical!

0,78 grams = 1/20 Tical?

1,46 grams = 1/10 Tical

1,54 grams = 1/10 Tical

2,93 grams = 1/5 Tical

Rarity: Rare-Very rare. Such low weights from the 18th. century are practically impossible to find on the market since most of these would ha...